Governing mechanism for turbines.



L. G. LOEWENSTEIN.

GOVERNING MEGHANISM POR TURBINES.

APPLICATION FILED 11111.14, 1909.

1,008,550. Patented Nov.14,1911.

'IZ 2 SHEETS- SHEET 1.

Fig. 3/ ik i l a 5 s@ Isig Witnesses: M L ouls @Loewensbelm l 1 ,/Y/W

Inventor;

L. G. LOEWENSTE'IN.

GOVERNING MEGHANISM FOR TUBBINES.

APPLICATION FILED A211.. 14, 1909.

Witnesses:

e1-ning Mechanism for the following; is a si'xeltirfation.

UNITED STATES EM'TTENT OFFICE.

LOUIS C. LOEWENSTEI, 0F LYNN,-MSSACHUSETTS, ASSIGKNOR JO GENE R'AL ELECTRIC l COMPANY, A CGRPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

GGVERNING MECHAN-ISM FOR TURINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. i Patented 0v 14, 1911,

Application filed April 14, 1909 serial No. 4,7s3.

'To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l. lotfis C.-LOEwE:\" srl-2m, a eitizen of the 'United States'residing' at Lynn, in the 'county' ot' Essex and `@tate of )lassa -.ln \setts, have invented eertain rnewfand useful'improvements in Grov Turbines, of which ,For various purposes and especially for supplying: current to` elet-trie head-lights, it is desirable to employ smallturbine driven elertrie reneratorsl and to operate them at relativel)l higrh speeds. ator se( .ofthis eharaeter the problem .of ln'operly governing the turbine is a serious one. 'lille principal ditlit'ultiesheretofore' experieiured have been. irst, in transmitting :not ion ,froui the tluturbine to lits regulating valve, second, in properly lubricating the parts employed to transmit .said motion', and third, in bal.- anring` the speedgovernor. j`

,The objt-tt ol' my invention is to overcome the objections above noted and` alsoto'prm" vide a governing mevhauism for a turbine whit-h extrt-mrly siil'ilile and reliable in` operation and which is cheapto manufacture. j

-lnrarryii-ig' out my invention l eombine thev .speed governor and regulating valve in a single or unitary struc-ture and'mount sairljtstriu-tul'e lun the turbine rotor or its -shal`t tlureby dispensing with all ilnefrnudiate,` mei-hantent roumctions or parts that require lulu-it-alion and attentionr "This also materially reduces thtI number ot parts, and the :tow partsused are ol a simple and rugged.nature. ln the present enilmd'iuuut o'l my invention the said strut-turecomprises an elastii' disk whose |u'riph0ral portion is vapab-ltl ol' assuming dil'trent positions and \\'hi|ilivat.--; as a valve. Owingl tol the .shape oi" tluv liek and to thtl elasticity oll the metal torniilnf the pvriplwral portion thtreol'it tl-iulauft alltimes when in ordinary :an-vive to remain vin a certain position whizh permits 'l'l'i-elow ol'V niotire [luid tlu'ougljhthe td'nfbiue. .Ns-tho speed rises .alumI a prede-l termined \al||e.-t.lurjvuti'il'ugral t'ol'te thus Createdoverlmlaures-the tori-v ll-ul to" tho elast cans( ln a turbo-genen" rotatingspeed gover-norot v speed 'governor-1n a single atrueture I nitty t Fig'. -1v isa sectional view .sh avi-ng my invenitrio' with the shaflt axisin( The 'particular location of said structure within the Wheel easing cai be varied te suit the requirements.

Steam or other elastic lit id is admitted to the turbine" through an ui restricted port, andthe valve :or disk which vis wholly within the easing an'drotates with t 1e bucket wheel or rotor determines by it position the amount of tluidfthat can flow through the wheel by varying the resista nce of its path, the position ofv the disk or valjve being de4 termined by the speed of tht rotor... i

I may utilize my invent onin a singlel stage or in a multi-'stage tur nine, and in the latter case,'so'nie or all of tl e' stagsimay be `provided with my imprtved governing 'meehan1smif desired utilize said struct ure as ,the mov ing element of a brake wlnc i1 whenf'the cen-v trifugal force reaches a pre( eterinined value A enga-ges a stationary brakini; surface to'prevent a further increase m15 peed,` thus combining' both eltects, that of restricting niotivefuid flow and of mech n'iieally braking .Y

the speed.

.Tn tlie'accompanying dra rings which are illustrative of my inventior, Figure 1. is an axial Iseetionof a jet. or'iuipart turbine of the Curtis tyl'ieyli'gfl is a er'(ssHee'tiou of 'S is aperspeetive detail of he bucket wheel Y and governing means 'arr'ifd thereby; and

:tion applied tio a niultifsta; je turbine.

1 'indicates them-sing ot the turbine, and" contained therein ism n'hee Q. harinalr u. single row of radial bucket: 5i, although a greater number 'of rri'wsina v beV provided if desired. The heel is moul ited on a. shaft 4- rarried in'a bearing` 5, tlu, .attenheing "-np- `ported by the wheel easing'. Strani israu'- milled to `the bul-kot; wheel froniau 4uuro' strieted admission port by i now/,lebwhirh may have one or moreI seri ions or [nlssagesj 7. paiuliug or.nou-exparuling iu ehar'arfler as viretpustaut'es rorpiire. 'llio exhaust troni the turbine is 'Carried o ll rom Vthe exhaustts'ilitable condi The portion` 'rtf 'iinufi'liately surroundingl the liuoketA Wheelfts"turned or finished eouhn nder ite

tritugal force decreases,

' --radial slots 12 or aS will appear later. 'this stationary braking surface may be formed on the Wheel casing itselt or on a separate member carried by the casing. The b raking feature 1s a secondary part of my invention and need not inall cases be used, but I have found 1t to be desirable in practice.

Mounted to revolve with the Wheel is a ythin sheet metal disk 9 that acts a speed governor and also as a valve. The diskor valve may also be employed as the moving element of a brake to prevent the speed of the bucket-Wheel from becoming excessive and bursting due to centrifugal strains. The disk can be secured in any suitable manner. In the present embodiment of my invention the body of the disk is clamped to that of the Wheel by an, annular nut Il() having a screw-threaded opening to receive the correspondingly threaded portion of the. wheel hub. The peripheral portion of the disk 9`is bent, curvedor directed outwardly from the body of the Wheel as indicated at 11, so that as the disk is revolved the rim or peripheral portion will, due to centrifugal force, change its position in such manner and direction as to throttle the passae of steam through the turbine, the said rotling taking place bet-Ween the Wheel and exhaust port 8. In the present embodiment of my invention it changes its osition not only by'moving toward the w eel but by enlarging its diameter.

The rim 11 of the disk z'. ci., that part or portion outside of the periphery of the annular nut 10 .is elastic and is suitably shaped before being mounted in place. This means that the centrifugal force tending to move the disk or valve is opposed by a force due to the elasticity of the metal of the disk, so that for every givenposition of the disk. As a result, as the speed and therefore the centrifugal force increases, due to a changein operating conditions, the valve or disk Will change its position and in so doing oppose to a greater or less extent the free passage of steam through the buckets by moving to- Ward the wheel. This action continues until the steam input and load balance, when the relative position of the parts will be lixed. Conversely, if the speed and hence the centhe`peripheral portion of the disk will change its position by n'ioving-away from the Wheel, thus permitting more steam to' How through the bucket Wheel to the exhaust port.

In order to increase the sei'isitiveness of the 4valve or disk, it may be provided with. otherwise weakened at certain points.

The rim 11 of the disk or valve' is provided with an annular projection 13 which when the speed of the turbine shaft increases to a certain predetermined and abspeed condition there is a normal value, due to any causeI` strikes the side of the wheel or the bucket bases, while the portion ot the disk immediately sur rounding said projection strikes the cover ot the wheel buckets. It will thus be seen that portions of the bucket Wheel form an annular seat for the valve. The action just described will reduce the passage of steam through the turbine to a minimum. Such a condition is present when the turbine drives an electric generator and the load suddenly removed from the latter. The parts must be so constructed and arranged that the total amount oi steam -which can pass the disk or valve when seated or in its closed position, e., when engaging the wheel, is

insufficient to drive the latter above thel speed that is considered safe for that particular machine, or above any predetermined speed. For intermediate load values the valve or disk 9.\vill assiune an iniermediate position between that indicated by the full and dotted lilies, the exact position being determined by the on the turbine and hence its speed vand by the pressure of the steam. Assuming a constant steam pressure, the disk 9 will move toward the Wheel as the load decreases and away from it as the-load increases.

The'disk may with advantage he provided With a thickened portion or bead 14 that forms a weightor mass to increase its effective action. This bead in addition to acting as a Weight will., when the latter is fully enlarged, expanded or moved to its nal position, actas a brake by engaging the nished inner surface of the casing. The braking action only takes place when the valve or disk fails to reduce the speed of the wheeljquickly enough or when for any reason the speed ofthe Wheel continues to increase after the peripheral.' portion of the disk has covered the exhaust side of the wheel buckets; As soon as the speed is sumciently reduc-ed, however, the bead will move away from its copcrating braking surface and permit the valve to resume complete control. W'hen the disk is slotted, as shown, there will usually be a certain small amountI of steam passing through the tun bine, even when the disk is firmly held against the Wheel by centrifugal force, but the brake will prevent the turbine from .running away in the/event.. that the steam .ius passing through ythe turbine more than enough to drive .ie turbine at 11o-load. ln Fig. fi is shown a multistage turbine ccnnirising a casing l. that is divided by da phragms 'l5 into Wheel compartments or stages. Each stagehas a wheel 2 provided' with two rows of buckets. twoxows of wheel buckets 1s a segmental or complete v row of Between each stationary intermediate buckets lb. Ste-am is admitted by the nozzle 6 to the first stage` and between stages the amount of the load e l. lll

tililuiil istror d 'by stage nozzles 17. Mounted to u'. e u h vt -e wllieels .are flexible! diskri E) :offthe char: :ter and l eonstluction lilu'evlor f descri'hed. The action fr these the same ae that already ,referred to a `i t fiiwa-rne, of them work on flower vpres snrethjud lilla-n the others.

ilfnateadot causing the d .sk to move `toward "the Wheel as thev speed `inereases, fits posi` .tioiixmay he reversed, so .that ythe 1 )e1'fipl'xeral '1, rtxion willv n iove `itowardand deel-ef ive area of the exhaust opening.

'rt heing the same in all eases. alu the 'event'.that 'tluifellicieneyofthe tur-y .bine lnot iso in1portant, II may-locate `the l; 'weeirthe easing and wheel 1, and esl-use "the disk'to before `it enters the-bucket 1d of utilizing my inve tion/ias agevhanism for regflllating the tur mal conditions, `I may utilizel .t -n sn'rer-geilxeymeans for/prevenu :tron-1 l rislng 4above fa predeteri `zielt "to t .Las

0 wider i 5 v het flatter au #.an'iount-i eure. L limproved 1go vel ibin Ldri ingy ava lln aeeoifdanr 1 wputent 'statuten ciple of i ee ianisni for itur 'ls ofwapparatus. yith the provi... ions -of lthe l have ydeserililed the prin- 'ieralion-of ,my invention, together p :lr-aims which I now eonsiderto' t el'iibodiment thereof; but vi itqunderatood that the ap- ,"gpaiatusishown only illustrative, and that le :inventii'm `een -liiwearried out by other ing bueketswvith afeasing dmission and` exhaust .ionaavith a unitary stroef i motforvhieh 'isgrespon :12e mllgsaar'ldaaets :as `a yeentriiiuga' 'mme and las; a regulatin -valve :t0 t hey geiofvxmotive; Hui ,from-tlle te n amdfbuuketsstoftheexhaus Lport. Lnumbinabion, a f rotor carrying libuk I alxissionand exhaust ports, `anl a nieans'lo-l 125 ets, a easing therefor having adniisSion and exhaust ports, and a ineajis revolving with the :rotor which has a poi tion tixed to said rotor' land an "ela l: ptrtion wl'iieh .ehangesr its `position relatne to Said buckets o ,with speed changes and there )y servesvr to vary the amount of motive lluid pagsing through said rotor.y y

3. 1n combination, a rotor ca rryingihuele ets. a eas-ing 'therefor having; admis on and exhaust port and an eta tie dev. driven by the rotor which is seneltitfe ,to changea in centrifugal `for(l 5 one part of Ava ry the ets, a casing and exhaust pc revolving withy tl ,diameter with srpeeil e111: o l ing `val-ries `the ainoiju-ito mot-i, `througjiv the buckets lof sai In combination,` ,a `rotor `e:

a- .easing therefor harii g u, and exhaust ports, andati l ,whosediameterdecreases speed `for increasing the amor nt" of nlotive flu-id passing `ythrolillgfh they rotor a nd increasesin diameter `with increase in" speed to `decrease the amount of motive Huid y pushing[105 through `the rotor: i

7 In combination, ai rotor e1.-1'rying buok- `Ietst ka eaaing `tl'ielefor havii g admission and exhaust ports, and an ela tie means 1o- `cated on the'fljotor adjacent thw` buckets and` 1.10

within `the casiugwhieh means novos toxvfalul and. from the' outlets ofthe loueketbI with changes in s].)ee d` ,of: the roto! for yarying" Qthe resistance to ytliepa:mage o '1uoti\e[luid between ,the rotor and :the exh alst, port'.

S." In combination, `a yrotor e u'rying hut-kein,- a `ez'isinejtherefor `haviripf z dmiasi'on vand exhaust-1 ports, and a flexihh disk "hieh (-l'ianges its diameter withspe il changes of fthe motor .fory varying v,the :res .stance to `they120 .escape ofinotfivehfjllnd througi the exhaust yn,ooinbimitionarrotor c trrying hueles,aleas1n g thereforhavlngul restricted adtetliY liilirthe easing. and 1: zvolving .with

lling the, freedom with fluid een pass through the sai l ,means havm .th

mettre i,

Ilv Yi tion with a unitary structure driven by thef rotor which acts as a centrifugal speed govt ernor and a regulating valve to control the action of the motive fluid on the buckets; and

' as a movable braking element which engages said member under certain conditions.

12. In combination, a rotor carryingrbuekets, a casing therefor having admission and exhaust ports, and a means driven bythe rotor which changes its position .with changes in speed of the rotor for regulating the passage of motive fluid through the turbine, and which cooperates with a Fixed part of the turbine to act as a brake for the rotor when the speed increases above a predetermined value.

13. .In combination, a rotor carrying buckets, a casing therefor having admission and exhaust ports, and a'fmeans driven by the rotor which acts to regulate the passage of:

motive Huid under normal coiultions and which enlarges indiameter and cooperates with a stationary surface when tlu` .speed exceeds a certain amount.

14. In combi nationa rotor ".ury'ing buckets, a easing for the rotor having admission and exhaust ports, and a means mounted on the rotor adjacent the buckets which acts as a valve to throttle the passage of motive fluid through the buckets for normal oper-' atingconditions and which acts as a brake /by engaging the casing under abnormal operating conditions.

15. A rotor carrying buckets, a casing therefor divided into stages', each stage containing a part of the rotor7 and valves made 'of elastic disks in two or more of the,stages,

each of which is individually responsive to changes in centrifugal force acting@ on its mass and throttles the outlets of the buckets of one stage to thereby regulate the flow of motive Huid through .saidistage and the supply to the next portion of the turbine.

1'6. In combination, a rotor carrying buckets,l and a thin metal ring secured by one edge to the rotor adjacent the buckets which ring moves toward and from said buckets undertheinfluence ot' centrifugal force as buckets with its outwardly extending portion 'bent away from said buckets and provided with a series of radial slots, said outer portion movingtowa'rd and from the buckets under the influence of centrifugal force as the speed changes to vary the supply of motive fluid.l for driving the motor.

18. `In combination` a rotor carrying buckets, and a thin metal ring secured by its inner edge to the rotor adjacent the buckets With its outer portion arranged at an angle. to the axis, of the rotorhnd weighted adjacent its periphery, said outer -portion moving toward and from the buckets'lmder the influence of centrifugal force as the speed changes to vary the supply of motive Huid' for driving the motor. l

10. In comblnation, a turbine rotor carrying buekets acasing for-the rotor havlng :sov

an admission port for' supplying motive fluid to act on theI buckets and an exhaust port that`receivcs tlieexhaust from the buckets, and means for controlling the quantity ot' motive` fluid acting on the rotor which includes an elastic device driven by said rotor that is sensitive to changes in centrifugal 'force and' has a portion that acts upon the motive fluid between the rotor buckets and the exhaust .y it and is moved in a substantiall',v axial'direction under the influence o t said l'orce to control the passage of motive fluid from the buckets to `the exhaust port.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twelfth day ot April, 1905.).

l l LOUIS C. L( )lllV ENUTEIN lVitncsses:

JonN M A Nus, Jr., CImumcs A. 'BARN/ucl). 

